Up and comers climbing T20's biggest mountain
World T20 Minnows Guide: Nepal
Quick Single: Nepal outclassed by hosts
ICC T20 World Ranking: Unranked
The Inside Word
Nepal struggled for big runs in the ICC WT20 qualifier tournament, relying on even team performances to grind away their bigger-hitting opposition. If the Nepalese bowlers can get on top of their opposition early, look for the left-arm off spin of Basant Regni and the medium pacers of Para Khadka and Jitendra Mukhiya to close their bowling innings out.
The Trivia
Cricket was originally a game reserved for the elite in Nepal, with the country’s ruling Rana dynasty introducing the sport during the 1920s.
In 2006, Nepal bowled out Myanmar for just 10 – the lowest score ever totalled in men’s international cricket. Nepal chased down the target in 0.2 overs.
This will be Nepal’s first major international tournament, with the country missing out on all World Cups and World T20s to date.
The Schedule
March 17th v Hong Kong, March 19th v Bangladesh, March 20th v Afghanistan
The Road to Bangladesh
Nepal snuck past the UAE in the 3rd place playoff at the qualifying tournament, knocking off fellow qualifiers The Netherlands in the process.
The Squad
Paras Khadka (captain), Pradeep Airee, Prithu Baskota, Binod Bhandari, Naresh Budhaayer, Shakti Gauchan, Sompal Kami, Avinash Karn, Subash Khakurel, Gyanendra Malla, Jitendra Mukhiya, Sagar Pun, Basant Regmi, Sharad Vesawkar, Rahul Vishwakarma
The Key Man
Paras ‘Frenchy’ Khadka – In a side that struggled for runs, Khadka scored a team-best 232 at 29 opening the batting, hitting the boundary and clearing the fence in equal measure across the qualifying tournament. The captain is also a handy medium-pacer, with 19 career scalps at an average and economy of just over twenty and six respectively.
The Wild Card
Basant ‘Miss and Hit’ Regmi – The darty left-arm orthodox bowler zeroed in on the stumps in the UAE, keeping things tight enough to force mistakes from opposition bats. It will be a much more difficult task in Bangladesh but if Regmi can hit more than he misses, it will go a long way to sealing Nepal’s place in the Super Ten stage.
The Prediction
First round exit – Nepal are up against it in this tournament, lacking the firepower (with both bat and ball) of their more fancied Bangladeshi and Afghani opponents. If they can steal early wickets they’re a chance of making it through, if not, 2014 will still count as a year to remember for Nepalese cricket.